The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary, Freelance Writing Jobs

The Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary has been created for freelance writers looking to make a change and move towards a new writing format, niche, or project.

You might be a travel writer working on collection of poetry, or a fashion journalist with an eye on copywriting. Maybe you're looking to change beats in your freelance news reporting. Whatever avenue you want to take this year, the Freelance Writing Jobs New Directions Bursary can help you with one of the most important elements of a career shift: time.

The bursary will award one writer a £400 voucher for a stay at Gladstone's Library in Hawarden - the UK's only residential library.

The bursary winner will also receive a lifetime subscription to the Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter. Three shortlisted writers will be awarded annual subscriptions to the newsletter.

To apply, fill out the entry form with a writing sample of no more than 800 words by the closing date - midday (UK time), 28th February. The short form asks for more information about your writing career and the new direction or project you wish to focus on. You must be a practicing freelance writer to apply - some of your income in the last twelve months must have come from freelance writing. This can be any amount, in any form.

The bursary is specifically for a shift into another form of writing, not an entirely different creative pursuit. You might be a poet looking to move into travel writing, but this bursary cannot be used to launch a sideline as a potter or jazz performer. Your application should reflect this.

Entries will be read anonymously by a small team of journalists and editors. The judging criteria is based on writing skill, originality, expertise and how your freelance career would directly benefit from being awarded the bursary in 2025.